From The Wide Open Spaces

Thank God because he’s good, because his love never quits. Tell the world, Israel, “His love never quits.” And you, clan of Aaron, tell the world, “His love never quits.” And you who fear God, join in, “His love never quits.”

Pushed to the wall, I called to God; from the wide open spaces, he answered. God’s now at my side and I’m not afraid; who would dare lay a hand on me? God’s my strong champion.

(from Psalm 118 The Message)

Change comes slowly with me. I need time to consider, to examine, to go deep. It’s like my mind is like a big ole truck with a wide turning radius. Fast sports car people wonder why it takes me so long to move in another direction.

Some of the hardest times in my life have occurred when people I trusted said they were tired of trying to fix me. (And I do need some fixing.) They had no more grace for someone who ruminated and pondered and repeated themselves and hesitated at every new direction – over and over.

They quit.

But in the midst of my sorrow and frustration with myself God gently reminds me: His love doesn’t quit.

God is love and love is patient. Love is kind. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. God is therefore patient and kind. God bears, believes, hopes and endures all things. God never quits.

Sure, I should be further along in maturity than I am. But I’m further along than I was. My steps, though slow and plodding, are moving on down the road with more confidence than before. I am learning to respond more quickly, less fearfully. Every year I can speak of His love with more assurance and say, “My God, You are relentless. You never quit.”